Colligan: ‘I want a sweep’ of Texas

COLLEGE STATION — Texas has won 12 of the last 13 games against Texas A&M dating to 2005 — a tidbit that doesn’t sit well with Aggies ace Brooks Raley.

“It’s our turn,” said Raley, who will get the start tonight when the Aggies take on Texas at Olsen Field. “We’re going to take care of business, and we’ve got the team and the guys to do it.”

Brandon Belt, UT’s leading hitter, nodded in unison at Raley’s pledge — only from the flip side.

“I feel the same way,” Belt said.

Neither guy is being cocky — each sincerely believes his team is going to win this rivalry. Just don’t use that last word too much around A&M outfielder Kyle Colligan — although he hopes to be using it by Sunday night.

“It’s a rivalry because of the schools, but right now I don’t feel it’s a rivalry baseball-wise,” Colligan said. “We need to step it up and win and make it a rivalry again. That starts this weekend. I want a sweep.”

Finally, Raley threw the last punch — by claiming the Aggies must strike first, starting tonight in College Station, and then when the series shifts over to Austin on Saturday and Sunday.

“Texas has gotten the best of us,” Raley said. “So we’ve got to throw the first punch. The first game is the most important as far as setting the tone for the weekend. It’s going to be a knock-down, drag-out (affair). This is what baseball is all about. You want the championship on the line.

“And you want to throw down and see where it all ends up.”

Texas is in first place by percentage points over Kansas State and the Aggies — meaning the standings will change in a hurry this weekend if Raley and his teammates back up his vow. And Colligan gets his wish.

2 Responses

It wasn’t to be this weekend, but what a series! My hat is off to the longhorn players. They played well in the first game and took advantage of some shoddy Aggie play in the first inning on Sunday to win the series. I’d love to see a rematch in the conference tourney.